Blower

ABSTRACT

A blower includes a mounting base, a motor, an impeller, and an electronic control unit. The motor is mounted to the mounting base from one direction. The impeller is mounted on the motor. The electronic control unit is mounted on the mounting base from an opposite direction. The mounting base defines a through hole. The through hole is axially aligned with a motor shaft to expose an axial end of the motor shaft opposite from the impeller. The electronic control unit comprises a printed circuit board disposed offset from the through hole.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) from Patent Application No. 201610670064.1 filed in The People's Republic of China on Aug. 12, 2016.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of blowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional blower including a mounting base 11, a motor 12 mounted to the mounting base 11, an impeller 3 fixed to a shaft of the motor 12 via an interference fit, and an electronic control unit 14 mounted to one side of the mounting base 11 away from the impeller 13. A heat dissipating device 15 is disposed between the electronic control unit 14 and the mounting base 11. Air enters via an air entrance 111 on the mounting base 11, flows through the heat dissipating device 15, and is then discharged via an exit of the mounting base. A first issue of such blower 10 is that, the heat dissipating device 15 has a large distance from the air entrance 111, which leads to a poor heat dissipating result. A second issue is that, in some situations where the impeller 13 is mounted as the last element, because the electronic control unit 14 is disposed at an outside of the shaft of the motor 12, a mounting tool cannot resist the end of the shaft of the motor 12 so as to support the shaft or exert a force on the shaft toward the other end thereof at which the impeller 13 is to be mounted and, a result, the impeller 13 cannot be mounted to the shaft. In some other situations, the electronic control unit 14 may be provided with an opening for allowing the mounting tool to resist the end of the shaft. However, this requires the opening to be defined through a PCB in the electronic control unit 14, which may increase the difficulties and cost in the PCB design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, a blower is provided which includes a mounting base, a motor, an impeller, and an electronic control unit. The motor is mounted to an upper side of the mounting base and includes a motor shaft. The impeller is mounted on the motor. The electronic control unit is mounted to a lower side of the mounting base. The mounting base defines a through hole. The through hole is axially aligned with a motor shaft to expose an axial end of the motor shaft opposite from the impeller. The electronic control unit includes a printed circuit board disposed offset from the through hole.

Preferably, the blower further includes a heat dissipating device configured to dissipate heat of the electronic control unit.

Preferably, the mounting base defines an air entrance, and the heat dissipating device is disposed adjacent the air entrance.

Preferably, the blower further includes a control box, and the electronic control unit and the heat dissipating device are both disposed in the control box.

Preferably, the control box is mounted to the lower side of the mounting base, and the control box is disposed offset from the through hole.

Preferably, the electronic control unit is mounted in the control box, and is mounted to the mounting base through the control box.

Preferably, the mounting base comprises a mounting plate and an accommodating portion, the mounting plate is disposed at a bottom of the accommodating portion, the motor is mounted on the mounting plate and accommodated in the accommodating portion, the motor shaft of the motor extends out of the accommodating portion for mounting the impeller, and the through hole is defined in the mounting plate.

Preferably, the mounting base further includes a ledge disposed along an outer periphery of the accommodating portion, and the air entrance is disposed on the ledge.

Preferably, the ledge further defines an air passage in communication with the air entrance and adapted to guide the air flow into the control box.

Preferably, the mounting plate defines a heat dissipating opening, such that the air introduced into the control box via the air entrance is discharged via the heat dissipating opening of the mounting plate.

Preferably, the heat dissipating device is disposed between the printed circuit board and the mounting base.

Preferably, the impeller is mounted to the motor shaft of the motor via an interference fit.

In situations where it is desired to mount the impeller to the mounting base after the mounting of the control box, defining the hole through the control box and the PCB therein can be avoided by implementing the present invention. In addition, the control box is disposed adjacent the air entrance on the mounting base, which enhances the heat dissipating efficiency of the heat dissipating device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is described below in greater detail with reference to the drawings and embodiments.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional blower.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a blower according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blower of FIG. 2, viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the blower of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the blower of FIG. 2, viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the blower of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an assembled view of the blower of FIG. 6, showing the impeller being mounted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the drawings. Elements of similar structures or functions are generally represented by like reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout the figures. It should be noted that the figures are illustrative rather than limiting. The figures are not drawn to scale, do not illustrate every aspect of the described embodiments, and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the ordinary meaning as commonly understood by people skilled in the art.

It is noted that, when a component is described to be “fixed” or “mounted” to another component, it can be directly fixed or mounted to the another component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is described to be “connected” to another component, it can be directly connected to the another component or there may be an intermediate component. When a component is described to be “disposed” on another component, it can be directly disposed on the another component or there may be an intermediate component.

FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 illustrate a blower 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The blower 20 includes a mounting base 21, a motor 22 mounted on the mounting base 21, an impeller 23 mounted on the motor 22, an electronic control unit 24, and a heat dissipating device 25 for dissipating heat of the electronic control unit 24. The mounting base 21 includes a mounting plate 211, and a housing 221 of the motor 22 is mounted to the mounting plate 211 through fasteners such as bolts. In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting base 21 further includes an accommodating portion 212, and the mounting base 211 is disposed at a bottom of the accommodating portion 212. A motor body of the motor 22 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 212. A side of the accommodating portion 212 opposite from the mounting plate 211 defines an opening 213, and one end of a motor shaft 222 of the motor 22 extends to an outside of the accommodating portion 212 through the opening 213. The impeller 23 defines a shaft hole 231 in a center thereof. The impeller 23 is fixed to the end of the motor shaft 222 through an interference fit between the shaft hole 231 and the motor shaft 222, and rotates along with the motor shaft 222 to perform work on the air.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting base 21 further includes a ledge 214. The ledge 214 is disposed along an outer periphery of the accommodating portion 212 surrounding the accommodating portion 212. The ledge 214 defines at an upper side thereof an air entrance 215, and defines an air passage 216 therein in communication with the air entrance 215. Another end of the air passage 216 extends to within a control box 26 that receives the electronic control unit 24. The control box 26 is mounted below the mounting base 21, at a side of the mounting base 21 adjacent the air entrance 215. The electronic control unit 24 includes a circuit board 241. The circuit board 241 on one hand receives power and/or control command from an external environment via an interface 242 disposed at an outer side of the control box 26 and, on the other hand, controls rotation of the impeller 23 by connecting to the motor 22 to control rotation of the motor 22. A heat dissipating device 25 is disposed within the control box 26 above the circuit board 241 to dissipate heat of the circuit board 241.

In the illustrated embodiment, the mounting plate 211 of the mounting base 21 defines a plurality of heat dissipating openings 2111. The heat dissipating openings 2111 are located in correspondence with the control box 26. Air enters via the air entrance 215 of the ledge 214, enters the control box 26 to contact the heat dissipating device 25 after passing through the air passage 216 below the ledge 214, and finally is discharged via the heat dissipating openings 2111 of the mounting plate 211, so as to dissipate heat of the circuit board 241.

Referring to FIG. 4 to FIG. 6, the mounting plate 211 of the mounting base 21 defines a through hole 2112. The through hole 2112 is axially aligned with the motor shaft 222 to expose an axial end of the motor shaft 222 opposite from the impeller 23. In one embodiment, the motor shaft 222 passes through the through hole 2112 to an outside of the mounting base 21. In another embodiment, the motor shaft 222 does not pass through the through hole 2112 to the outside of the mounting base 21. However, no matter in which embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the motor shaft 222 can be accessed by a tool from the outside through the through hole 2112, and can be axially supported. As such, the impeller 23 can be press-fit onto the motor shaft 222 at an opposite end, thus forming an interference fit with the motor shaft 222.

After the control box 26 is mounted below the mounting base 21, the through hole is located at one side of the circuit board 261. That is, the control box 26 is disposed offset from the through hole 2112. As such, the control box 26 and the circuit board 261 are no longer required to define holes for allowing the external tool to resist the motor shaft 222. The control box 26 and the heat dissipating device 25 are disposed below the mounting base 21 at a side thereof adjacent the air entrance 215, which avoids the poor heat dissipating issue resulted from a too long path of the airflow introduced via the air entrance.

In summary, in the blower of the embodiment of the present invention, the motor is mounted to one side of the mounting base, and the electronic control unit is mounted to an opposite side of the mounting base. The mounting plate defines a through hole. The through hole is axially aligned with the motor shaft and disposed adjacent or at an axial end of the motor shaft opposite from the impeller. A PCB is disposed in the electronic control unit and offset from the through hole. As such, after the motor and the electronic control unit have been mounted to the mounting base, in mounting the impeller to the other axial end of the motor, a mounting tool can resist the motor shaft through the through hole of the mounting base to thereby axially support the motor shaft, such that the impeller can be press-fit onto the motor shaft at the other axial end. In addition, the mounting base includes the air entrance, and the heat dissipating device is disposed adjacent the air entrance, which enhances the heat dissipating efficiency of the heat dissipating device.

Although the invention is described with reference to one or more embodiments, the above description of the embodiments is used only to enable people skilled in the art to practice or use the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The embodiments illustrated herein should not be interpreted as limits to the present invention, and the scope of the invention is to be determined by reference to the claims that follow. 

1. A blower comprising: a mounting base defining a through hole; a motor mounted to an upper side of the mounting base and comprising a motor shaft, an impeller mounted on the motor, the through hole of the mounting base being axially aligned with the motor shaft to expose an axial end of the motor shaft opposite from the impeller; and an electronic control unit mounted to a lower side of the mounting base, the electronic control unit comprising a printed circuit board disposed offset from the through hole of the mounting base.
 2. The blower of claim 1, wherein the blower further comprises a heat dissipating device configured to dissipate heat of the electronic control unit.
 3. The blower of claim 2, wherein the mounting base defines an air entrance, and the heat dissipating device is disposed adjacent the air entrance.
 4. The blower of claim 3, wherein the blower further comprises a control box, and the electronic control unit and the heat dissipating device are both disposed in the control box.
 5. The blower of claim 4, wherein the control box is mounted to the lower side of the mounting base, and the control box is disposed offset from the through hole.
 6. The blower of claim 5, wherein the electronic control unit is mounted in the control box, and is mounted to the mounting base through the control box.
 7. The blower of claim 4, wherein the mounting base comprises a mounting plate and an accommodating portion, the mounting plate is disposed at a bottom of the accommodating portion, the motor is mounted on the mounting plate and accommodated in the accommodating portion, the motor shaft of the motor extends out of the accommodating portion for mounting the impeller, and the through hole is defined in the mounting plate.
 8. The blower of claim 7, wherein the mounting base further comprises a ledge disposed along an outer periphery of the accommodating portion, and the air entrance is defined the ledge.
 9. The blower of claim 8, wherein the ledge further defines an air passage in communication with the air entrance and adapted to guide the air flow into the control box.
 10. The blower of claim 9, wherein the mounting plate defines a heat dissipating opening, such that the air introduced into the control box via the air entrance is discharged via the heat dissipating opening of the mounting plate.
 11. The blower of claim 5, wherein the heat dissipating device is disposed between the printed circuit board and the mounting base.
 12. The blower of claim 1, wherein the impeller is mounted to the motor shaft of the motor via an interference fit.
 13. The blower of claim 7, wherein the impeller is mounted to the motor shaft of the motor via an interference fit. 